Sub-aerial exposures in the Tournaisian (lower Carboniferous) of the central Carnic Alps (Italy)

The documentation of a palaeodoline and the recovery of a loose block with shrinkage cracks in the Rio Sglirs area (central Carnic Alps) suggest subaerial exposure during the late Tournaisian. Both structures have been dated to the anchoralis conodont zone. This episode occurred well before the globally documented sequence boundary at the Tournaisian-Visean boundary. These data, combined with other evidence from different areas in the Carnic Alps suggest that the evolution of the Carnic Basin was influenced by high frequency sealevel fluctuations during the late Tournaisian.